Can-capping mechanism



5 Sheets-Sheet l A. K. MALMQUIST CAN CAPPING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 20,

Dec.. 2, 1924.,

` 3,517,740 A. K. MALMQUIST CAN CAPPING MECHANISM I Filed OCb, 20, 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 2, 1924- L5T7,74

A. K. MALMQUIST f CAN CAPPING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 20, 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 5' LSVM@ DQ@ 2, H924.,

A. K. MALMQUIST CAN CAPPING MECHANI SlVI Filed oct. '20, 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 @Hernals A. K. MALMQUIST CAN CAPPING MECHANI SM Dec., 2, 1924.

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 20, 1921 seaming operations Patented Dec. 2, 1924..

AJDQLPH K. MALMQUIST. F SOUTH BELLINGH, WSHINGTGN, ASSIGNOR T0 MALM- i COMPANY, 0F SOUTH BELLINGH, WASNGTON.

v CAN-CPFJENG MECKSM.

Applicatiomled. ctober 20, 1921i. Serial No. 508,920.

To all lwhom t 17a/ay concern.'

Be it Yknown that l, Anonrrr l. MALM- QUrs'r, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of South Bellingham, in the county of Whatcom and State of l/Vashington, have invented certain new and useful improvef ments in Can-Capping Mechanism; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled" in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

rllhis invention relates to improvements in can capping mechanism and more particularly to such as are adapted for use with canning machines for double seaming caps to cans, one object of the invention being to provide a seaming mechanism operable with modern high speed machines, which shall be simple and compact in construction and in which adequate means shall be provided to eiiect adjustments of various parts to insure accurate and efficient operation of the mechanism.

With this and other objects in View, the invention consists yin certain novel features of construction and .combinations of parts as hereinafter set forth and pointed out in the claims.

ln the accompanying drawings Figures' 1, Q and 3 are vertical transverse sectional views showing parts of the mechanism in different positions; Figure et is a horizontal sectional view on the line l-l of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a bottom plan view; Figures 6 and 7 are detail views showing the spider in whichthe levers carrying the seaming rollers are mounted; Figure 8 is a view in elevation of the cam head for operating the seaming roller levers; Figure 8a is a bottom plan view of said head; Figures 9 and 10 are views of the lever for head, and Figure l1 is a view of the ring d6. 'lhe mechanism for accomplishing the of caps to can bodies, is supported by framework 1 forming an enclosing casing.,two sides 2, 2 and top members 3, 4c ot'which ma be removably secured in place vby suitable astenin devices 5 and leakage past these removablle parts of the framework or casing is prevented by means of interposed gasketing material 6.

ln Figure 1 of the drawings, ll have shown the framework or casing as being mounted upon the top member 7 of a can filling and operating said cani' lThe construction and arrangement of the means for exhausting the chamber 8, for operating the can platforms and for operating the filling means, do not constitute parts of my present invention and need not be 'shown and described herein.

When my improvements lare employed with a canning machine comprising a plurality of can filling and sealing chambers "movable relatively to -the seeming mechanism, the casing or framework of the latter will be provided at its bottom with a gasket or gaskets such as indicated at 12 to engage the top of the iilling and sealing chambers, it being understood that openings such as shown at i3 are provided in the tops of said chambers to permit access of the cans and caps to the seeming mechanism located within the enclosure formed by the frame or casing i.

The framework or housing 1 for the seaming mechanism includes in its upper portion, a fixed tubular head or member 14 which is internally threaded to receive the externally threaded upper portion of a tubular upright 15, the latter constituting the xed shaft or stem of a chuck 16 formed integral with its lower end. rJlhe chuck and its stem are held in proper position by means of nuts 17, 17 screwed on the upper threaded portion of the latter above and below the tired head 1d and adapted to bear against the latter. By loosening these nuts, the chuck stem may be turned to edect vertical adjustment of the chuck.

A bushing 18`is revolubly mountedon the tubular upright .for stem 15 of the chuck 16.

and between the lower end of said bushing and the chuck, anti-friction bearing devices 19 are located. Fitted tightly on the bushing 18 so as to be rotatable therewith, is a splder or carrier 20 (Figures 6 and 7 hav-v ing an annular series of recesses 21 and grooves 21l constituting upward extensions of said recesses, six such recesses and grooves being shown in the drawings. The spider is `also formed approximately midway between its ends with shoulders 22 and at its lower end with a series of depending fingers 23, the latter terminating at their 'lower ends in close proximity to the chuck 16 for purposes hereinafter explained.

livotally supported in the recesses 21 of the spider are two sets of levers 24, 24", the levers 24 alternating with the levers 24, and the pivotal supports of the former being in a higher plane than that of the pivotal supports of the latter. Six' levers 24-24a (three of each) are employed and their lower arms 25 are approximately horizontal to receive the mountings of seaming rollers 26, 26a respectively, the construction of each of said levers arms and roller mountings be ing as follows: The horizontal arm 25 of each of said levers is bifurcated and formed with an opening 27 (Fig. 5) for the accommodation of an externally threaded sleeve 28, which latter may be clamped in said arm by means of a bolt 29. The sleeve 28 is also threaded internally to receive an externally threaded spindle 30 on which a seaming roller (26 .or26a) is mounted through the medium of interposed roller bearings 31.

AThe spindle 30 is provided at its lower end with a head 32, so as to be disposed under the seaming roller and the lower end of the sleeve 28 is provided with a head 33 disposed over said roller. A nut 34 is screwed on the upper portion of the sleeve and bears upon the upper face of the lever arm 25, and a nut 35 screwed on the upper portion of the spindle 3() bears on the upper end of the Sleeve 28. By loosening the nut 34, the sleeve 28 may be turned to effect vertical adjustment of the seaming roller relatively to the chuck- 16. y

Upon the upper ends ofthe seaming roller levers (24-24a) contact plates 36 are mounted for cooperation with a cam head 37 and upon each of the contact plates 36,.

' screws 40, (when the contact plates 36 are bearing against the cam head 37) the levers 24,24a may be so moved as to effect horizontal adjustment of the steaming rollers relatively to the chuck.

A circular coiled spring 42 is seated in the curved projections39 of the several plates 38 and serves to press the contact plates 36 of the levers 24, 24a toward the cam head made with three cam arms 37 and three cam arms 37b. The cam head 37 is movable longitudinally on the bushing 18 and is made with an exteriorly threaded sleeve or hub 37 C surrounding the latter. The arms of the cam head 37 are movable longitudinally in the grooves 21a of the spider 2() and serve to cause said cam head and spider to rotate together. Each cam arm 37 a is'made with cam faces a, b, c with which co-operate the contact plates 36 of the levers 24 and the cam arms 37b are made with cam faces d, e, f, with which co-operate the contact plates 36 of the levers 24a whereby said levers will be operated for manipulating the seamin rollers when the cam head 37 is moved longitudinally.

A bearin ring 43 is located on the cam head aroun the hub portion 37c thereof a'nd above said bearing ring, another bearing ring 44 is screwed on said hub portion and held in adjusted position by a ring 45 threaded on said hub portion. Between the bearing rings 43 and 44, a ring or annular carrier 46 is located and receives balls 47 which have bearings against the two bearing rings 43-44. The ring or ball carrier 46 is provided with dametrically opposite upwardly projecting arms 48, the upper ends` of which are pivotally connected with the forked arms 49, 49 of a lever 50 (Figures 9 and 10). At its other end, this lever is provided with a laterally projecting hub portion 5l which is mounted on a cam shaft 52 suitably journaled in the framework. At one end the cam shaft is provided with a flange 53, vresting against the framework and secured thereto by a Vbolt 54 passing through a slot in said iange. At the other end of the cam shaft 52, a bolt 55 enters the same, and between the head of this bolt and` the framework, a washer 56 is disposed. By tightening the bolts 54 and 55, the cam shaft 52 will be held normally in fixed position. For lubricating the bearing of the hub of lever 50 on the cam shaft, the latter may be provided with a duct 56 to receive lubri cant from a cup 57. Intermediate of its ends, the lever 50 is made with an elongated opening 58, near respective ends of which, arms 59, 59 are provided on said lever. A shaft 60 passes through the opening 58 in theI lever 50 and suitable bearing boxes 61 are provided for this shaft. A lubricant duet 62 may kbe located centrally within the shaft 60 to receive lubricant from a cup 63 and distribute the lubricant by lateral ducts to the bearings of said shaft. If desired, a bolt 64 may be passed through the end of one of the bearing boxes and engage one end of` the shaft to hold the latter against longitudinal movement. p

A cam is secured to the shaft 60 in position to be disposed between the arms 59, 59 of the lever 50 so that when said shaft is turned, the lever 50 will be raised or lowered on its bearing on the cam sha-ft 52 as a fulcrum, and thus effect vertical sliding movement of the cam head 37 to operate the seaming roller levers 24, 24a. It will be observed that by loosening the bolts 54 and 55 (which normally hold the cam fulcrum-shalt 52 of lever 50 in Xed position) and then turning the cam shafty 52, the lever 50 may be so moved as toetfect vertical adjustment of the cam head 37.

A main driving shaft for the mechanism is shown at 66 and is mounted in suitabl lubricated bearings in the framework. horizontally disposed gear wheel` 67 is mounted, through the medium of ball-bearing devices 68, on the shaft 66 and transmits motion to a gear wheel 69 secured to the shouldered p ortions of the spider for rotating the latter and the parts' connected therewith, said gear wheel 69 being provided with recesses 70 for the accommodation of the seaming roller levers 24, 24.

The main driving shaft 66 has secured thereto, a worm- 7l which transmits motion to a worm wheel 72 secured to the shaft 60, whereby said-shaft will be rotated-and cause cooperationof the cam with the arms 59 on lever 50 to operate the latter and the cam head as previously explained.

The spindle 73`of a cap and can uide head 74 passes freely through the tu ular shaft 15 of the chuck. The bore in the lower portion of the tubular shaft l5 is enlarged for the accommodation of a spring 7 5 which encircles the spindle 73 and bears at its respective ends against` a shoulder 7 6 and the guide head 74, the construction being such that the spring will normally position the guide head below the chuck l5 and below the plane of the rollers, as shown in Figure l. rlhe upper projecting end of the spindle 73 is threaded and has secured thereto, a release bracket 77 which is held in place by a nut 78 screwed in said spindle. 'ldlc v bracket.77 projects downwardly and is provided with an arm 79 disposed near the shaft 60 and is provided with a lug 80ito be engaged by a lug or cam 81 on a wheel or disk 82 secured to the shaft 60.

The spring-pressed` head 74 serves not only to guide the cap andcan to the seamin chuck, but it also serves to force the scale can away from. the seaming mechanism. The speed of the shaftGO will be such that ait'ter the seaming operation shall have been completed and the v,can is ready to desc/endg) the cam lug 81 on the wheel orvdisk 82 will engage the lug on the arm 7 9 of bracket 77 and force the latter downwardly, thus forcibly lowering the spindle 7 3 and guide head 74 and forcing the sealed can downwardly in the event that the spring 75 would fail (by reason of sticking of the sealed can in the seaming mechanism) to promptly force the head 74 downwardly to release the can. A

ln the operation of the mechanism, with the parts in the positions shown in Figure l and the seaming devices ready to receive a ca p and can, the can will be raised and recelve a cap and as it continues to rise (with the cap thereon) the cap will engage the guide head 74 and' move the same upwardly until the upper end of the can and the cap shall be presented to the chuck 16. The cam head 37 will be moved downwardly and the cooperation of its cam arms with the contact plates 36 on the levers 24, 24a will turn said C levers on their ulcrums and move the sets of rollers 26, 268L toward the chuck so as to cause the sets ofvrollers to perform, successively the two and double seaming steps to seal the cap to the can. rlhe rollers 26 will operate to perform the first bending of the metal of the cap and can in forming the seam and the rollers 26a will operate to complete the seaming to insure the air tight closure of the can, and the cap will be very quickly seamed to the can during the revolution of the spider which carries the seaming roller levers and seaming rollers. In the drawings, l have shown three rollers for the lirst seaming operation and three for the finishing operation, ybut if desired, l might employ four rollers for ne seaming operation and two rollers for the other operation.

e employment of six seaming rollers is of great advantage for high speed machines where the time for closing a. can is very short. By the employment of six seaming rollers, the seam will be even and the structure embodying the levers which carry the rollers ounted in the spider will be properly ba anced and vibration and wear will be reduced to a minimum.

llf for any reason, no cap would be in position when a can is raised to theseaming mechanism, the upward movement of the open can will be limited by engagement with the iinge1s23 depending from the spider 20 and the can flange will thus be prevented vfrom being rolled over back of the chuck 16. When the upper edge of the open can is limited in upward movement by the fingers 23, the seaming rollers will roll the can 'flange down and allow can to descend when its supporting platform descends. While the unsealed can would vbe spoiled, the machine would not have to be stopped to remove it.

In Figure l of the drawings, the cam head 37 is shown at its extreme up-stroke andvin Figure 2 it is shown initsextreme down-stroke, while in Figure 3, the position which the cam head takes during the tinishin of the seaming operation is shown. When t e seaming of a cap to a can is finished and the cappe-d can descends the cam head 37 will assume the osition shown in Figure 2 and while the ished can is being discharged and the next Canis coming to position to be raised 'to the seaming mechanism and when the second can is in such position,the cam head 37 will have moved up to the position shown in Figure 1 and the seaming rollers will be wide `open and the can and cap will be moved to the chuck.

- Theh downward movement of the cam head from the position shown in Figure 1 will now cause operation of the levers 24, 24 to move the` seaming rollers 26, 26a and effect the seaming of the cap to the can.

I'Since my improvements are intended to be embodied in a machine for sealing the cans in vacuum, it is desirable'that the free space within the casing shall be reduced to a minimum so that said casing may contain a minimum amount of air to be exhausted, and to accomplish this, blocks 83 are secured'within the closure.

Various changes might be made in. the details of construction of myl invention without departing from the spirit thereof or limiting its scope and hence I do not wish to restrict myself to the precise details herein set forth.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In can'capping mechanism, the combination with framework, of a chuck, a revoluble carrier, levers pivoted to said carrier, each of said levers provided with a lower horizontal arm having an opening, a sleeve threaded through said opening in each lower lever arm, a spindle threaded through each sleeve, a seaming roller mounted on each spindle, a nut on the upper portion of each sleeve, a nut on the upper portion of l each spindle, andmeans for operating said levers.

2. In can capping mechanism, the combination with framework, and a chuck, of a carrier revolubly mounted relatively to said chuck, levers pivotally supported by said carrier, seaming rollers carried by the lower arms of said levers, a vertically movable cam head revoluble with said carrier, contact plates carried by the upper arms of said levers and cooperable with the cam head, each plate having a recess, means normally clamping said plates in position, and a screw entering each leverand having a head entering the recess of the adjacent contact plate, Vwhereby said contact plates may be adjusted to effect horizontal adjustment of the seaming rollers relatively to the chuck.

3. In can capping mechanism, the combination with a rotatable carrier, of two sets of pivoted levers mounted in said carrier, the levers of the two sets aggregating six, the pivotal mountings of the levers of one set being located on a higher lane than that of the pivotal mountings o the levers of the other set, a seaming roller carried by each lever of each set, and means for operating said levers.

4. In a can capping machine, the combination with a'rotatable carrier, of two sets of three levers each pivotally supported by said carrier, the levers ofv one set having pivotal mountings on a higher plane than the pivotal mountings of the levers of the other set and the levers of one set alternating with the levers of the other set, a seaming rollercarried by each lever, and means for operating said levers.

5. In can capping mechanism, the combination with framework, and a chuck, of six seaming rollers, one set of said rollers being adapted to effect one step of a seaming operation and the other set of said rollers adapted to effect the inishin step'of said seaming operation, a longitudlnally movable cam head having two sets of cam faces for effecting operation of the two sets of seaming rollers in succession, means for revolving said rollers about the chuck, and means for operating the cam head.

6. In can capping mechanism, the combination with framework, a vertical tubular shaft secured to .the framework, a chuck at the lower end of said shaft, seaming rollers about said chuck, means for supporting saiil seeming rollers, means for operating said seaming rollers, a spindle longitudinally movable through said tubular shaft, a head at the lower end of said spindle, a spring acting normally to force said spindle and head downwardly, and means operable automatically to force said spindle and head downwardly upon failure of said spring.

7. In a can capping mechanism, the combination with framework, a tubular upright shaft provided at its lower end with a chuck, seaming rollers, operating means, and a driving shaft for said operating means, of a spindle longitudinally movable through said tubular shaft and provided with a head at its lower end, a bracket secured to said spindle, a shaft mounted in the framework, a cam carried bv said shaft and cooperablc with said bracket to force the spindle and head downwardly, and gearing between said shaft and the driving shaft.

8. In can capping mechanism, the combination with framework, a driving shaft, and seaminc mechanism, including a chuck, a revolube carrier, levers pivotally supported by said carrier, seaming rollers carried by said levers, and a longitudinally movable 4cam head rotatable with Said carrier, 0f an operating lever, connecting means between one end of said operating lever and said cam head, a pivotal mounting for one end of said lever, said lever having an elongated opening between its ends, a shaft mounted in the framework, a cam carried by said shaft and eooperable with said lever, and gieaing between said lshaft and the driving s ia t.

9. In can capping mechanism, the combination with framework, a driving shaft, and seaming mechanism, including a chuck, a revoluble carrier, levers pivotally supported by said carrier, seaming rollers carried by said levers, and a longitudinally movable cam head rotatable with said carrier, of an operating lever, connecting means between one end of said operating lever and said cam head, a pivotal mounting for one end of said lever,said lever having an elongated opening between its ends, a shaft mounted in the framework, a Cam carried by said shaft and eooperable with said lever, means for adjusting said pivotal mounting to effect vertical adjustment of the cam head, and gearing between said shaft and the driving shaft.

10. In can capping mechanism, the combination with framework, and a chuck, of a carrier, can limiting devices depending from said carrier and terminating near the chuck, levers pivotally supported by said carrier, seamin rollers carried by said levers, and means or operating said levers.

11. In can capping mechanism, the combination with framework, an upright shaft, and a chuck at the lower end of said shaft, of a carrier revoluble about said shaft, said carrier having recesses and grooves communicating with said recesses, levers pivoted between their ends in said recesses, seamin rollers carried by the lower arms of sai levers, a cam head longitudinally movable relatively to said carrier and having cam arms movable in the grooves of said carrier and cooperable with the upper arms of said levers, means for moving said cam head, and means for rotating the carrier and parts rotatable therewith.

12. In can capping mechanism, the combination with framework, an upright shaft, and a chuck at the lower end of said shaft, of a carrier revoluble about said shaft, said carrier havin recesses and grooves communicating with said recesses, levers pivoted between their ends in said recesses, seaming rollers carried by the lower arms of said levers, a cam head longitudinally movable relatively to said carrier and having cam arms movable in the grooves of said carrier and cooperable with the upper arms of said levers, means for moving said cam head, a driving shaft, a gear thereon, a gear secured to said carrier and meshing with the gear on the driving shaft, and means operable by the driving shaft for operating the cam head moving means.

13. nation with framework, a chuck, a revoluble carrier, levers pivotally supported by the carrier, and seamino' rollers carried by said levers, of a longitudinally movable cam head for operating said levers, of an operating lever, a ball *ring connected with said cam head, bearings for balls carried by said ring, arms on said ball ring, an operating lever having forked arms at one end connected with the arms of the ball ring, a pivotal mounting for said operating lever, and means for operating said operating lever.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

ADoLPH K. MALMQUIST. i

In can capping mechanism, the combi@ 

